Event Title
Assessment of Attitudes and Knowledge of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Amongst Neurosurgeons
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Start Date
3-5-2023 1:00 PM
End Date
3-5-2023 4:00 PM
Description
Introduction: Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) is highly researched and integrated into many medical and surgical subspecialties. Though OMM has been shown to have benefits in treating non-specific cervical and lower back pain and managing post-operative pain, it has rarely been integrated or studied in the neurosurgical community.
Method: Using SurveyMonkey, a survey was dispersed to physicians of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Information collected included the provider’s type of practice, degree type (MD vs. DO), familiarity with the tenets of OMM, frequency of referral/use of OMM, comfort level with OMM as a non-surgical pre-op option, a post-op pain management option, and a post-op rehabilitation option. It also assessed surgeons' interest in more research on OMM in the neurosurgical field and the likelihood they would integrate OMM into their practice if given peer-reviewed research about OMM in their patient population. Responses from MDs and DOs were averaged and, when appropriate, were compared using a two-tailed T-test, with statistical significance defined as p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 6503 neurosurgeons surveyed, 133 submitted responses, and 121 met inclusion criteria. This cohort consisted of 114 Allopathic physicians (MDs) and 7 Osteopathic physicians (DOs) (94.2% and 5.8%, respectively). On average, neurosurgeons reported referring patients for OMM less than once per year (average = 1.36 ± 0.79, where ‘1’ = never and ‘2’ = once per year), with 79.33% responding ‘never.’ When comparing DO to MD neurosurgeons, DOs ranked both their familiarity with the tenets of osteopathic medicine (4.57 ± 0.53 vs. 2.47 ± 1.02, respectively) and applications of OMM in their practice (3.29 ± 1.38 vs. 1.97 ± 1.05, respectively) significantly higher. DO neurosurgeons were significantly more comfortable than MDs in recommending both pre-operative and post-operative care as well as non-operative pain management (pre-operative, average = 3.71 vs. 2.38, p=0.0037; post-operative, average = 3.29 ± 1.25 vs. 2.23 ± 1.04, p = 0.011; pain management, average = 4.00 ± 0.82, 2.60 ± 1.10 p = 0.0013). DOs and MDs show no statistical difference when assessed for interest in future research on the application of OMM within neurosurgery and were self-rated as “somewhat Interested”(average 3.14, 3 - somewhat interested). If presented with research demonstrating the positive applications of OMM relevant research to the management of neurosurgery patients, DOs and MDs trended towards being “likely” to integrate OMM into their practice (average = 3.43 ± 1.52, 3.83 ± 0.89 p = 0.2666 ).
Discussion: ln general, osteopathic physicians reported greater comfort with OMM, likely related to DO’s greater familiarity with the topic due to curriculum differences in medical school training compared to their MD colleagues. Though MD and DO neurosurgeons infrequently utilize or refer to OMM in their practice, both groups are interested in seeing more research on OMM in the neurosurgical field and are open to utilizing evidence-based OMM in patient management.
Embargo Period
6-7-2023
Assessment of Attitudes and Knowledge of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Amongst Neurosurgeons
Philadelphia, PA
Introduction: Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) is highly researched and integrated into many medical and surgical subspecialties. Though OMM has been shown to have benefits in treating non-specific cervical and lower back pain and managing post-operative pain, it has rarely been integrated or studied in the neurosurgical community.
Method: Using SurveyMonkey, a survey was dispersed to physicians of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Information collected included the provider’s type of practice, degree type (MD vs. DO), familiarity with the tenets of OMM, frequency of referral/use of OMM, comfort level with OMM as a non-surgical pre-op option, a post-op pain management option, and a post-op rehabilitation option. It also assessed surgeons' interest in more research on OMM in the neurosurgical field and the likelihood they would integrate OMM into their practice if given peer-reviewed research about OMM in their patient population. Responses from MDs and DOs were averaged and, when appropriate, were compared using a two-tailed T-test, with statistical significance defined as p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 6503 neurosurgeons surveyed, 133 submitted responses, and 121 met inclusion criteria. This cohort consisted of 114 Allopathic physicians (MDs) and 7 Osteopathic physicians (DOs) (94.2% and 5.8%, respectively). On average, neurosurgeons reported referring patients for OMM less than once per year (average = 1.36 ± 0.79, where ‘1’ = never and ‘2’ = once per year), with 79.33% responding ‘never.’ When comparing DO to MD neurosurgeons, DOs ranked both their familiarity with the tenets of osteopathic medicine (4.57 ± 0.53 vs. 2.47 ± 1.02, respectively) and applications of OMM in their practice (3.29 ± 1.38 vs. 1.97 ± 1.05, respectively) significantly higher. DO neurosurgeons were significantly more comfortable than MDs in recommending both pre-operative and post-operative care as well as non-operative pain management (pre-operative, average = 3.71 vs. 2.38, p=0.0037; post-operative, average = 3.29 ± 1.25 vs. 2.23 ± 1.04, p = 0.011; pain management, average = 4.00 ± 0.82, 2.60 ± 1.10 p = 0.0013). DOs and MDs show no statistical difference when assessed for interest in future research on the application of OMM within neurosurgery and were self-rated as “somewhat Interested”(average 3.14, 3 - somewhat interested). If presented with research demonstrating the positive applications of OMM relevant research to the management of neurosurgery patients, DOs and MDs trended towards being “likely” to integrate OMM into their practice (average = 3.43 ± 1.52, 3.83 ± 0.89 p = 0.2666 ).
Discussion: ln general, osteopathic physicians reported greater comfort with OMM, likely related to DO’s greater familiarity with the topic due to curriculum differences in medical school training compared to their MD colleagues. Though MD and DO neurosurgeons infrequently utilize or refer to OMM in their practice, both groups are interested in seeing more research on OMM in the neurosurgical field and are open to utilizing evidence-based OMM in patient management.